Anorexia Athletica or Exercise Bulimia

Exercise bulimia is a eating disorder kind of like anorexia nervosa. It is characterized by binging and then intense exercise to get rid of all the calories. Right now it is estimated that 5 million people in the US have exercise bulimia and 12% of those who go to the gym have it. The difference between healthy exercise and exercise bulimia is the motivation behind it, it is about self esteem, perfectionism, and control. Those with the disorder feel guilty if they miss their 2 or 3 or even 4 hour work out a day. Despite most exercise bulimics having low body fat %'s, they still dislike themselves or find themselves not "fit" enough.